Firing mechanism for firearms



Dc. 23, w41.

man

F. F. BURTON FI'RING MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed April 6, 1939- y 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 1941. F. F. BURTON FIRING MEGHANI'SM FoR FIREARMS Filed April 6, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 FIRING MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Frank F. Burton, MountCarmel, Conn., assignor to Western Cartridge Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application April 6, 1939, Serial No. 266,280

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in the firing-mechanism of firearms, that is to Vlsay, improvements in the mechanism by means of which the operation of a trigger, or its equivalent, eiects the discharge of the firearm.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior firing-mechanism for iirearms which is both economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior firing-mechanism for firearms so constructed and arranged with respect to other features of the firearm in which it is incorporated, as to be readily assembled and disassembled.

Fig. 7 is a view of the rear portion of the barrel-unit showing the same mainly in side elevation and partly in vertical section;

Fig. 8 is an underside view thereof;

Fig. 9 is a view of the central portion of the stock-unit detached and shown mainly in sidev elevation and partly in vertical central-longitudinal section;

Fig. 10 is a top or plan view thereof;

Fig. 11 is a top or plan view of the receiverplug and the parts assembled therewith, de-

tached;

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior firing-mechanism for firearms so constructed and arranged as to be suitable for use in a bolt-action rearm having a removable receiver-plug so as not 'to interfere with the insertion and removal of the latter.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a superior ming-mechanism suitable for use in a take-down firearm and which is characterized by its freedom from derangement when the firearm is taken down and which may be relied upon to function correctly when the stock-unit and the barrel-unit of a firearm are reassembled.

With the Labove and other objects in view, as

will appear 4to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application.

In the accompanying drawings in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a bolt-action take-down firearm embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the central portion of the rearm shown mainly in vertical central-longitudinal section and partly in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar View taken on the line fi- 6 oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a broken transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 but on a larger scale than the same;

Fig. 6 is a view in vertical central-longitudinal section corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing the positions which the parts assume when the reciprocating breech-bolt is rearward of its breechclosing position;

Fig. 12. is an underside view thereof;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the trigger;

Fig.'14 is a perspective View of the transmitting-member viewed mainly from the side;

Fig. 15 is a similar view but viewing the transmitting-member mainly from below; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the sear.

The particular take-down bolt-action iirearm herein chosen for the illustration of the present invention includes Atwo main units, namely, a stock 2l] and a barrel-unit comprising principally a receiver 2i and a barrel 22 rigidly attached to and forwardly extended from the said receiver. The barrel-unit comprising the receiver 2l and the barrel 22 is detachably secured to the stock 20 by means of an attachingscrew 23 vextending vertically through the stock 20 at a point immediately forwardly of the frontend of the receiver 2l. The head-end of the attaching-screw 23 just referred to, is seated in an escutcheon 2d mounted in the under face of the stock 20 (Figs. 2 and 6). The threaded upper end of the said attaching-screw 23 extends into threaded engagement with a barrel-lug 26 depending from the rear portion of the barrel and forming'a rigid feature thereof.

The receiver 2l, in the construction shown, is of tubular form with its exterior cylindricallycontoured save for certain cuts therein. The said receiver 2l is formed interiorly with an axial cylindrically-contoured bolt-receiving passage 26 extending throughout the length of the receiver and at its forward end receiving the threaded rear end of the barrel 22.

Fitting into the rear portion of the bolt-receiving passage 26 in the receiver 2l is a cylindrically-contoured receiver-plug 2l which ls removably retained in place in the said bolt-receiving passage in a manner as will hereinafter appear. Intermediate the forward end of the receiver-plug 21 and the rear end of the barrel 22, is a reciprocating breech-bolt 28 which, generally considered, is cylindrically contoured and is formed at its rear end with an annular bearing-ange 29 and adjacent its forward r:nd with a similar bearing-flange 30. Both of the bearing-flanges 29 and 30 `lust referred to have a smooth sliding t with respect to the surface of the bolt-receiving passage 25 in the receiver 2|, so as to provide both support and guidance for the breech-bolt 25 in its reciprocating movement within the said receiver.

In its lower portion, the breech-boltV 2l is formed with a longitudinal passage 3| in which extends the forward end of a spring-guiding plunger 32 having its rear end provided with a head 33 and seated in a forwardly-opening socket 34 extending longitudinally of the receiver-plug 21 in axial alignment with the longitudinal passage 3| in the breech-bolt 23. En# circling the spring-guiding plunger 32 is a helical breech-bolt-return spring 35 thrusting at its forward end against the front end-wall of the passage 3| and at its rear end bearing against the forward face of the head 33 of the said spring-guiding plunger 32, as is especially well shown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

Above its longitudinal axis and in parallelism with the longitudinal passage 3| therein, the breech-bolt 28 is formed with a firing-plunger passage generally designated by the reference character 36 and having a relatively-small-diametered forward portion 31 and a relativelylarge-diametered rear portion 38 which latter opens through the rear face of the said breechbolt and which former opens through the forward face thereof.

Reciprocating in the ring-plunger passage in the breech-bolt 28 is the forward portion of a reciprocating firing-plunger or striker generally designated by the reference character 39 and including a cylindrically-contoured bearing-portion 40 located about midway of its length and bearing in the rear portion 38 of the firing-plunger passage 36. Projecting forwardly from the bearingportion 4|) of the firing-plunger 39 is a iiringpoint 4| reciprocating in the forward portion 31 of the said passage 36. Projecting rearwardly from the bearing-portion 49 of the tiring-plunger 39 is a shank 42 which is adapted to reciprocate in a bore i3 formed in the receiver-plug 2l, before referred to, in axial alignment with the rng-plunger passage 38 in the breech-bolt 23.

Positioned intermediate the 4forward face oi the receiver-plug 2l! and the rear face of the bearing-portion it o the ming-plunger 39 is a helical firing-spring it encircling that portion of the shank d2 of the said firing-plunger which happens to be located forwardly of the receiverplug 2l at any given time.

The shank 42 of the firing-plunger 39 is formed, as shown, with a cooking-shoulder l which is engageable by a sear-nose 4d depending from the forward end of a sear 41 which is preferably formed of sheet-metal. The said sear is formed on each of its respective opposite sides with a depending side-flange 43 suitably perforated adjacent their respective' rear ends for the reception of a transverse pivot-pin 49 about which the sear as a whole is adapted to rock and which is mounted in the receiver-plug 21 so as to extend laterally across an upwardly-opening cavity 50 in the latter. The rearmost portion of the sear 41/ is pressed outwardly to thus urge the sear-nose 46 inwardly, by means of a. helical sear-spring 5| seated in an upwardly-opening pocket 52 in the receiver-plug 21.

Adjacent their respective forward ends each of the side-ilanges 48-58 of the sear l1 isformed with a downwardly-extending actuating :linger 53 laterally spaced from its companion actuatingfinger sufiiciently to project downwardly along the adjacent side of the path of movement of the ming-plunger 39, the breech-bolt-return spring 35 and the spring-guiding plunger 32 as is shown especially well in Figs. 3 and 6. The said actuating-ilngers 53-53 project downwardly'r through a vertical-passage 54 leading downwardly from the cavity in the upper portion of the receiverplug 21 and intersecting at its lower end a cavity 55 in the lower portion of the said receiver- P1118.

Extending diametrically across the rear portion of the receiver-plug 21 is a locking-bolt passage 56 receiving a reciprocating locking-bolt 51, the respective opposite ends of which are, under normal conditions, entered into locking-passages 58 one of which is formed in each of the respective opposite side-walls of the receiver 2| in line with the locking-bolt passage 56 in the receiver-plug 21. Adjacent its right end the locking-bolt 51 is formed with a contracted neck 59 which is adapted to be brought into registration with a releasing-passage 50 (Figs. 1 and 5) when the locking-bolt 51 is moved from the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 5 into the position in which it is indicated by broken lines in the same figure. 'I'he said releasing-passage 60 leads from the right hand locking-passage 58 to the rear edge of the receiver 2| so that when the locking-bolt 51 is moved axially of itself to bring the neck 59 in registration with the said releasing-passage 69, the said locking-bolt and the receiver-plug by which it is carried may be withdrawn through the rear end of the receiver.

About midway of its length the locking-bolt 51 is formed with a vertical clearance-passage 6| through which extends a vertical limiting-pin 62 carried by the receiver-plug 21. Arranged axially with respect to the locking-bolt and intersecting the clearance-passage 6| therein is a springpocket 63 receiving a. helical-spring El which presses against the limiting-pin 62 and exerts a yielding eiort to maintain the locking-bolt 51 in its locking position as is indicated by full lines in Fig. 5.

Partly in registration with the cavity 55 in the under face of the receiver-plug 21, the receiver 2| is formed with a clearance-cut 65 across the forward-end of which extends a pin 66 rigidly mounted in the adjacent portion of the said receiver. Mounted with capacity for both pivotal and bodily longitudinal movement in the clearance-cut G5 and upon the pin just above referred to, is a transmitting-member generally designated by the reference character 61 and preferably formed of sheet-metal. In a manner as will hereinafter appear, the said transmitting-member acts to transmit themovement of a trigger 68 to the sear 41 before referred to.

The transmitting-member 61, just above referred to, is provided on each of its respective opposite sides with a side-ilange 69, each of which is provided at its rear end with an upstanding actuating-finger 10 adapted to engage with and upwardly-press one of the actuating-fingers 53 of the sear 41. Each of the side-flanges 69-59- is provided adjacent its forward end with an upwardlyand forwardly-inclined guide-slot 1| through which the pin 66 in the receiver 2| extends to provide for both the rocking and limited bodily movement of the said transmitting-member S1 with respect to the receiver 2|.

The rear end of the transmitting-member 61 is formed with a bifurcated guide-arm i2 which y straddles the grooved intermediate-portion 18 of a guide-screw M threaded into the bottom-wall of the receiver 2i.' The said guide-screw i5 serves to clamp to the under face of the receiver 2|, the rear end of a sheet-metal spring 'i5 which is pre-set so that its center portion is depressed to bear against the adjacent face of the transmitting-member Si and which has its forward end extended through an apertured tongue i6 at the forward end of the said transmitting-member. As thus constructed and arranged, the spring l5 yieldingly tends to depress the rear end of the transmitting-member 61 and to raise the forward end thereof within the limits of movement permittedby the guide-slots li--ll and the guide-screw Til.

The trigger @t before briefly referred to, is preferably formed of sheet metal and comprises two laterally spaced-apart T-shaped side-bars VI-i1 interconnected at their upper rear portions by a transversely-extending actuating-bar 18 which is adapted to engage the under face of the transmitting-member 6l for shifting the same in a manner as Vwill be hereinafter described. The lower ends of the spaced-apart side-bars 'ill-ii are integrally united by a curved fingerpiece 'i9 projecting below the under surface of the stock 2G into a space substantially circumscribed by a loop-like trigger-guard 80 secured to the under face of the stock 2U.

'I'he upper portion of the trigger te is accommodated in an upwardly-opening cavity iii in the stock 2li and the intermediate portion of the said trigger extends downwardly through a clearance-passage 82 also formed in the said stock and interconnecting the cavity 3E therein with the under face of the stock 2li.

The trigger St is mounted with capacity for pivotal movement in the stock 2U by means of a trigger-pin 83 extending through the perforated forward ends of the complemental side-bars 'l1-'i7 and into rigid engagement with the flanking portions of the said stock 2G.

The trigger 68 is yieldingly turned in a clockwise direction around the trigger-pin 83 so as to maintain its actuating-bar 'i8 in light engagement with the under face of the transmitting-member 61, by a trigger-spring 85 preferably formed of spring-wire and extending around the triggerpin 83 before referred to, and having companion upper arms engaging the under edge of the actuating-bar 18 and having its opposite U-shaped portion resting upon the upper surface of a magazine-tube 85.

It may be explained in this connection that the trigger-spring 8d above referred to is so light in its tension as not to in any way overcome the tension of the heavier sheet-metal spring 75 of the transmitting-member B1, and therefore the said trigger-spring can under no circumstances effect the actuation of the said transmittingmember 61 to in turn effect the discharge of the firearm.

The magazine-tube 85 above referred to extends forwardly and upwardly through the stock 20 and between the respective opposite side-bars 1l-11 of the trigger 68 with sufficient freedom to leave the said trigger free of restraint thereby, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 9.

For the purpose of illustrating the operation of the firearm herein shown and described, let it be assumed that the receiver-plug 21 is firmly locked in place in the receiver 2| by means of the locking-bolt 51 and that thebreech-bolt 28 is in its breech-closing position, as indicated particularly well in Fig. 2, and let it be assumed further that the firing-plunger 39 is cocked as is also shown in the said figure. 'I'he firearm is thus in condition for being discharged upon the actuation of the trigger 68.

Now when rearward pressure is applied to the fingerpiece 19 of the trigger t8, the said trigger will be rocked about its trigger-pin B3 with the effect in turn of rocking the transmitting-member tl about its pin G6 thus causing the rear end of the said transmitting-member to rise. The rising movement of the rear end of the transmitting-member 61 will, of course, similarly raise its actuating-fingers l0-lll, which .latter in turn will lift the depending actuating-ngers 53-53 of the sear dl and thus cause the said sear to rock in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot-pin t9 against the tension of the searspring 5i The counterclockwise swinging of the sear M as just above described will lift the sear-nose @t thereof out of engagement with the cookingshoulder l5 of the firing-plunger 39 to thus release the firing-plunger to the action of the firing-spring d6. The said firing-spring it will snap, so to speak, the said firing-plunger 39 forwardly and will effect the discharge of the firearm.

After the discharge of the firearm as above described, the breech-bolt may be` moved rearwardly against the tensions of the breech-boltreturn spring 35 and the firing-spring lid to eir-- tract and eject the cartridge-case of the Justflred cartridge preparatory to the insertion of a. fresh cartridge in the usual manner of bolt-action rearms.-

Immediately following the start of its rearward movement from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, the breech-bolt 28 will engage its sloping lower rear corner 86 with the rounded forward upper corners of the side-flanges 6.9-69 of the transmitting-member 61 with the effect of depressing the forward end of the said transmitting-member and thereby moving the same rearwardly in a path controlled by the inclined guide-slots ,1I- 1I until the said transmittingmember is shifted from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 into the position in which it is l shown in Fig. 6. The continued rearward travel of the breech-bolt 28 will cause the same to override the forwardportion of the transmittingmember 61 and thus effectively retain the said transmitting-member in its rearmost position, until such time as the breech-bolt is again in its breech-closing position as indicated in Fig. 2.

The rearward movement of the transmittingmember 61 as above described, serves to shift its upstanding actuating-fingers l0- 10 to the rear of the depending actuating-fingers 53-53 of the sear B1 and therefore out of coacting relationship therewith. If the trigger 68 should be pulled while the breech-bolt 28 is out of its breechclosing position and hence while the transmitfing-member 61 is in its rearmost position, the sear A1 will not be actuated since the actuatingfingers of the transmitting-member will merely rise idly behind the actuating-fingers 53-53 of the said sear. Y

From the foregoing it follows, therefore, that even though the firing-plunger 39 be cocked, the sear 'i1 cannot be actuated to release the said firing-plunger when the transmitting-member 61 is in its rearmost position as shown in Fig. 6

asL a result of its being shitedby the rearward f 'travel of the breech-bolt 28.

f dischargewhenever the breech-bolt 28 is in ythanits breech-closing position. v f, f f By solconstructing the scar zaindlfassociatedy Thus, yin a simple and effective manner, the f rearxn is rendered safe against unintentionaly other w yparts so that the said sear is situated on the l yopposite side ofthe firing-plunger rfromy the ,f

, f f exceedingly low cost for manufacture.` l l transmitting-member 6l and the trigger 68,y an

compact, reliable and effective structure resultswhich'may'b'e yproduced'at a,v f

' Furthermore, by mounting theksear in a. re-

movable receiver-piug the said sear maybe 'con-v a portion of the said breech-boltin the rearward f movement of the latter and moved longitudinally c rearwardly thereby to respectively cause the saidy sear to kbe disengaged from the said firing-plungy,er bythe actuation of the said trigger and the said transmitting-member; and 'to rcause thefsaid transmitting-member to: be moved by the said *y y y y breech-bolt out of actuating position with respect to the said searfand' free yther samev to n engagewith the said firing-plunger.k

- veniently and economically assembled with they firearm-structure and may be'conveniently and readily brought into the yopeny for inspection,r f,

lubrication, adjustment orrepair.y f

They invention may be carried out in'otherk xspeciflc ways than those herein set forth with-y out departing from the spiritandessential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, thereforefto be conslderedin ally respectsas illustrative ,and not restrictive; andy yalichanges vcoming within the meaning and requivalency range of the appendedclaims intended to benembraced therein.k f

f I claim:

l. A bolt-action 're'arm-construction includ-,z

@le f y ingv in combination; ,a receiver; a breech-boit f rreciprocatable in the said receiverandhaving a portion yengageable with ar transmitting-member; a reciprocating iiring-plungermovabie inr the said breech-bolt; a trigger located' below the 1 rsaid reciprocating firing-plunger; va' sear pivotally mountedwithinthe said receiver intermediate the respective opposite ends thereof and being positioned to beengaged by a portion oi f the said breech-bolt for being moved thereby ln f havingy a firing-plunger-restrainingfportion lof cated above the said reciprocating firing-plunger and releasably engageable therewith; and a transmitting-member mounted in and connected`to the said receiver with capacity for both rocking and bodily longitudinal movement and in position to be rocked by the said trigger when the latter is actuated to in turn actuate the said sear and in position to be engaged by a portion of the said breech-bolt in the rearward movement of the latter to be moved longitudinally rearward thereby to respectively cause the said sear to be disengaged from the said firingplunger by the actuation of the said trigger and the said transmitting-member, and to cause the said transmitting-member to be moved by the said breech-bolt out of actuating position with er and engageable therewith, the said searv also having a depending actuating-finger extending downwardly and to one side of the said ring-plunger between the same and the adjacent side wall of the said receiver; and a transmitting-member mounted in and connected to the said receiver with capacity for y3.r A bolt-actionrearm-construction includingin combination: a receiver; ray breech-bolt movable in the saldi receiver; ar tiring-member ralso movable in the said receiver; a searlocated above the said firing-membery andfhaving ytwo v laterally-spaced-apart actuatingy lingers f respectively located on opposite sides' of thesaid ringymember and extending' downwardly on either sidethereofyand a: trigger located below the rsaid ming-member and operatively connected to thesaid sear to'factu'atefthe'same'through the internniediary of the depending actuatixrgfingers of the latter.

- @A bolt-action firearm-'construction vincludv f ing in combination: a receiver; a suspension-pin vcarried by the said receiver; a breech-bolt re- `ciprccatable in' the ysaidv receiver; a bring-member also movable inthe said' receiver; a trigger v located below the said firing-member; a'sear**` located above the saidv ming-member; a rtransf mitting-memberi havingar downwardly and rearwardiy inclined guide-slot receiving the said suspension-pin, the vsaid. ytransmittingmember a path determined vby yther said guide-slot and the said suspension-pin; 'spring-means yieldingly urging the said transmitting-member in opposition to the movement imparted to it by the4 said breech-bolt; means operatively interconnecting the said transmitting-member with the said sear; and a trigger for actuating the said transmitting-memfr to in turn actuate the said sear.

5. A bolt-action firearm-construction including in combination: a receiver having a breechbolt-receiving passage therein and opening through the rear race thereof; a breech-bolt movable in the breech-bolt-receiving passage in the receiver; a receiver-plug releasably installed in the said receiver and plugging the rear end or" the breech-bolt-receiving passage and projecting forwardly therein to the rear of the said breech-bolt therein; a firing-plunger reciprocatable in both the said breech-bolt and in the said receiver-plug; the said receiver-plug being operatively connected to the said breech-bolt for removal of the latter with the former as a unit at the rear of the said receiver; a sear carried by the said receiver-plug at a point above the path of movement of the said reciprocating ilring-plunger; a trigger located below the said ring-plunger; and means passing to one side of the said firing-plunger between the same and the adjacent side wall of the said receiver and operatively interconnecting the said trigger with the said sear.

6. A bolt-action firearm-construction including in combination: a receiver having a breechbolt-receiving passage therein and opening through the rear face thereof; a breech-bolt enamore 5 movable in the breech=bo1treceiving passage in the said receiver; a receiver-plug releasably installed in the said receiver and plugging the rear end of the breech-bolt-receiving passage and projecting forwardly therein to the rear of the said breech-bolt therein; a ming-plunger reciprocatable in both the said breech-bolt and in the said receiver-plug; the said receiver-plug being operatively connected to the said breech bolt for removal of the latter with the former as a unit at the rear of the said receiver; 'e sear carried by the said receiver-plug at a point above the said ming-plunger in position to control the same; a transmitting-member mounted in the said receiver and located below the said' dringplunger; means extending to one side of the said firing-plunger between the same and the adjacent side wall of the said receiver and operatively interconnecting the saidI transmitting-member- With the said scar; and a trigger constructed and arranged to actuate the said transmitting-member to cause the same tol in tum actuate the said Sear.

FRANK F. BURTON. 

